Philadelphia Union fell 1-0 on the road to Columbus Crew at MAPFRE Stadium in an abysmal fashion.

A second half goal from forward Gyasi Zardes was all the hosts would need, as the Union again failed to pose any threat and challenge. Philadelphia have now failed to score in all four of their 2018 road contests and are one of two teams without a point away from home.

With each team playing their second of three matches in a week, both managers were forced to make difficult lineup decisions.

Outside of left back Fabinho’s return from injury, Union head coach Jim Curtin characteristically made no changes to a side that fell 3-0 in Toronto last Friday.

Conversely, Columbus head coach Gregg Berhalter made five changes to a team that played out a scoreless draw while down a man in Seattle. “We want to have fresh legs in every game,” said Berhalter prior to the match. “We’ve talked about it being a squad week in which we’re going to need a lot of guys.”

The most notable absence was the Crew’s most impactful player, No. 10 Federico Higuain. The Argentine has 50 goals and 53 assists in his MLS career and ranks third in chances created in 2018.

It was a sleepy opening to the match, with neither side able to pose any real danger to the other.

Columbus looked to implement the same tactics FC Dallas had so much success with earlier in the season. When Philadelphia failed to pressure the Crew midfielders, they would lift their heads and attempt long passes behind the Union back line. Zardes consistently looked to challenge the pace of center back Jack Elliott.

The Union, meanwhile, were defined by a performance reminiscent of the loss in Toronto. They were not only unable to connect any meaningful passes going forward, but continuously ceded possession via bad turnovers in their own half.

One such giveaway led to the only significant chance of the first 45 minutes.

As the Union again failed to escape their own third, the Crew collected an errant pass and worked to ball to right back Harrison Afful. The Ghanaian, whose 21 shots this season are more than any other defender by a wide margin, fired a curling howitzer from just inside the right corner of the box. It was well-taken and beat a diving Andre Blake. It didn’t, however, beat the post to the keeper’s right.

When the halftime whistle blew, the Union had managed only one shot on goal. It wasn’t from the run of play.

Following a foul just beyond the Crew’s box, midfielder Haris Medunjanin attempted a quick and cheeky free kick. It fooled the cameramen, the announcers, and everyone save for Columbus goalkeeper Zack Steffen.

Columbus made better use of the Union’s mistakes after the restart.

The Crew sent an errant and innocuous cross into the box that drifted toward the corner of the box. Blake never looked to get a good read and struggled to handle the ball, batting it back out in front. Columbus winger Cristian Martinez beat right back Keegan Rosenberry to the loose ball and fire an attempt across frame. It ricocheted into the path of Zardes, who tapped in the opening goal in the 53rd minute. It was the U.S. international’s sixth of the season and the 40th of his career.

It wasn’t until the 80th minute that the Union took their first shot of the second half. Fafa Picault, who’d come on 20 minutes prior for an ineffective David Accam, raced down the left flank. His centering pass caromed into the path of the Union’s No. 10, Borek Dockal. He one-time shot was pure, but straight at Steffen.

With all the goals Higuain has scored in his illustrious career, it’s surprising he’s never scored against the Union. He nearly rectified that in the 85th minute after entering the match in the second half, but his header drifted just over the bar. It kept the Union’s faint hope of an equalizer alive.

And that equalizer should have come in the 90th minute.

Probing the Columbus back line, Medunjanin exploited a lapse in their defense and found himself with the ball eight yards from goal and with ample time. On an angle, but by no means a difficult one, the Bosnian forewent an shot, instead centering a ball to forward C.J. Sapong. Running onto the pass from six yards out, Sapong couldn’t connect cleanly and the attempted finish rolled toward net. With quick reflexes and a strong left hand, Steffen kept the ball from trickling over the line.

It was the closest the Union would come to scoring before the referee’s final whistle.

The match wasn’t as close as the 1-0 scoreline would indicate, with Columbus being the far better team on the night.

For Philadelphia, they are left with questions for which they cannot provide answers. When the Union travel to face Montreal Impact on Saturday, they will still be in search of their first road victory in nearly a calendar year.

Three points

Contract extension. Maybe the Union should consider extending recently-retired Sebastian Le Toux’s one-day contract. They seem to be without any other ideas, creatively.

Squad rotation. Curtin must change this lineup. There are no more excuses.

Impressive milestones. Even in the dreck that was that display, two players achieved meaningful milestones. Sapong played his 100th game with the Union, and Raymon Gaddis played his 150th. Only six other players have hit the century mark with this club. Only Le Toux and Brian Carroll have played more games for the Blue and Gold than Gaddis.

Author: Nick Fishman
A native of South Jersey, Nick Fishman started with the Philly Soccer Page before the 2017 MLS season. He primarily covers the Union beat. Catch him on twitter @nick_fishman or email him at nsfishman90@gmail.com

What a surprise. A team with 0 goals on the road in 4 games also is winless in those same games. I guess losing ONLY 1-0 is an improvement.
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Still can’t figure out why Curtin didn’t make an offensive sub when Fabhino went down. You’re losing so you might as well just go with 3 in the back.
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I guess they were just expecting that we really wouldn’t mind if they sat that one out. Their performance was just as thick as a brick.

It’s past time to shake things up. Curtin needs to go, and the lineup needs to change, even if just for a game or two to wake a few players from deep funks. More of the same and Talen will be empty by July.

Press the young defense and disrupt t heir ability to pass. Out athleticize the central midfielder trio. And have your analysts chart the spots to which those young defenders automatically pass, then jump those routes.
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You will beat them if you do those three things. Every time.

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It’s lifeless and insipid. It’s short short long abacus soccer in a quantum calculus footy world.
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It’s lifeless and insipid. If for no other reason then to send a message to so many players this is simply unacceptable…. eight Steel starting players should start the next game.
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If the system is the system and we have some hungry youth capable of playing it in Lehigh I’d rather watch that inner fire that necessity to display worthiness over this insipid lifeless brand of soccer I cannot relate to. I’m running out of words…. of things to say I’m bordering on total and complete disappointment that if I just close my eyes, just maybe a Mayflower moving van will steal this team away in the middle of the night.
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“But I can’t help the feeling
I could blow through the ceiling
If I just turn and run
And it wears me out
It wears me out.
It wears me out.”

Sure, why not start some Steel Players ! Worked when I was in high school and subbing as a sophmore for the varsity team. The starters all skipped school one day and went to the State Fair. Coach heard about it and benched them all for the next game and started all the sophomores (too good to play J.V., not good enough to start). We held opposition 0-0 after the first half. Second half subbed in all the starters — they scored three goals — highly motivating to watch other people doing your job.

Exactly this! We just lost 3-0 against Toronto and played very poorly. Next game, Jim makes one change at left-back. Everyone else retains their same spot! What does that say to the team? Starters think “doesn’t matter how bad I play because I’ll always start.” Bench players think “what’s the point?”

Three games in nine days. We all know it. Does the coach? Fabinho is the one switch you make to a team as listless as this? Sapong, Bedoya, Dockal, Haris all looked tired. What’s the point of the youth/system and depth if the coach refuses to use it?
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I just can’t take it anymore. #ClosetheCurtin

I can’t wait until CJ limps to the starting lineup again Saturday.
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Just once, for God’s sake, can Jim Curtin show the least bit of emotion. How can you not be pissed off? How can you not be embarrassed? How can you say the same old shit?
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Don’t anyone give me the crap about Earnie and what a bad jobs he’s done. Who gives a damn at this point? We have what we have, do something with it Jim. The biggest indictment of any coach is that Jim will never coach again, anywhere. At least Hackworth had some good qualities beyond being a nice guy.
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Anybody who watched that game (like me unfortunately) could plainly see the flat out disinterest and disdain on the players faces. They all know they have no shot from the opening whistle. I can’t for the life of me remember any good plays besides a couple runs front rosenberry, a couple stops from Trusty and that last little build up before (shocker) CJ missed from 6 yards out.
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This entire organization is an absolute joke. Who is worse from top to bottom right now? No one.

At this point I don’t blame Jim, obviously he is doing what Ernie is dictating. How can someone keep a job after what we have seen the past few years. Jim is a puppet, change your formation, switch up your players, what might happen? Possibly a loss? At least them Jim can tell us he told us so! This team need new life, stop trying to get blood out of a stone, Accam must sit, same with Harris, Dockal & CJ. See what players 15-30 can give you!

Honestly how can you not blame Jim? He trots out the same line-up every game regardless of results. If you don’t want to switch up the formation – fine, I can kinda understand that argument. However, players come in and out of form during the course of the season and need to be switched out / moved around from time to time. That’s on the manager.

I switched to the Sixers at half time (another poor result, but a brave effort that suggests a team that will return next year even better and more hungry). But it doesn’t seem like I missed much from the U.
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What is there to say anymore? This midfield is a black hole in which all hope of moving the ball forward is lost. It was just an abysmal thing to watch, and against a Colombus team that’s hardly convincing. I don’t know what I believe anymore. I’ve pinned most of this shambles on Curtin, but what sort of recruitment brings in this ancient midfield? This is as much on Stewart.
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The whole thing, from the players to the coaches to the front office run on the knowledge that there is no accountability. No head rolls for a poor performance. It’s just another bad day at the office and we’ll try again next time hoping for better.

While I do agree Stewart has made some bad calls, he has tried to bring in talent and fill positions of need. But regardless of what players have been here, the team continues to look the same and have the same struggles. That’s coaching. Players change…same old problems? Coach. Curtin has not been able to change:
-Continuing to give up silly or easily preventable goals. This has been a hallmark of his time as coach.
-Off-the-ball movement
The amount of times the ball was in the offensive third and no one is moving. Doesn’t have to be runs, simple shifting to change angle to passer.
-Runs
Making runs to create space seems to a foreign concept, much less making diagonal or dare we say it curled runs.
-Don’t turn over the ball up in dangerous areas (*cough* Dokcal *cough* Haris). It’s not like you have a young backline or anything…
-The CBs were under almost no pressure in possession, yet Haris continued to drop between the CBs. The only reason to do this is to relieve pressure on the CBs or pull an opposing midfielder out of position. The Crew did neither. Which meant that we were out-manned in midfield. Curtin should have seen that and adjusted.
-No changes to a team that played 4 days ago except to put in an obviously not 100% Fabinho. The starting front 6 seemed very tired and had little impact. Picalt seemed to be the only one interested in trying to tie the game in the second half. His throwing up his hands up in the 80th minute as he is in the final third with time and space to play a pass or cross and NO ONE is anywhere near the box is summation of the season so far. Not 5 minutes later, the Crew has a similar situation and there are THREE players making runs into our box, plus a fourth moving into the space created. 85th minute…up a goal against an inept team and they are still pushing for another. That is what COACHING does. It doesn’t take talent to do this stuff. Just discipline and work.

It’s just so sad. The whole thing is just so sad. Such high hopes and joy at getting a team that has turned into this absolute dreck. It’s official. I’m no longer mad. Just sad.
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I’ll still watch, but with no emotion. And go, but I won’t get upset. What’s the point. Until Curtin is gone and this team commits to trying to actually win a FUCKING game that’s it for me, as far as giving a shit goes.
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I’m sure people saw the tweet last week but the list of teams, in the Union’s last 10 road wins, includes Chivas.
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Folks in the Union Front Office, cause I know you or your interns read PSP… pass this on to whoever needs to hear it: “The Union are WAY beyond bad at this point. We’ll be irrelevant by Memorial Day, AGAIN. Thanks for another fun summer.”

I’ve given up o them unless they get and provide the financing for a top quality squad rather than a bunch of chancers. I’ve been a season ticket holder since the beginning and likely won’t stop simply for the sake of liking to watch live soccer, but other than attending home matches, I don’t bother to watch them, and that’s more than what most will do.

IMO, what they should do is put their full commitment into winning the upcoming US Open Cup. No reserve teams…no half measures. Let the MLS league contenders pull back on the Open Cup to our advantage.

It’s the only way this team this year and likely going forward absent serious investments has any shot at silverware. Winning the US Open Cup would also qualify us for the CONCACAF Champions League competition for further interest. If they do that, then at least they can provide some kind of fun and success for suffering fans.

They actually could. It’s always taken them to stoppage time or OT to beat Harrisburg or even Ocean City.

With the US out of the WC for extra facepalm, maybe I’ll just cheer for the CONCACAF WC teams this summer. Yeah… it’s gotten that bad.

The U got to the US Open Cup final twice in a row with home field advantage before they, of course, lost in OT and PKs respectively to let us down again. It’s an easy route to a trophy and the CONCACAF tournament for a poser team, but surely we’re extra poser enough to get eliminated again. That’s all we have to strive for though with some semblance of sanity.

Only a couple guys showed up to play. I can’t blame them, what’s the point with Jim Broken Record Curtin? Saturday will be more of the same. I feel for those hungry and without a spot (Jones, Fontana, Najem, etc). At least Epps got a [poor] run out there. Is Herbers alive?

It’s just not happening right now for the Union. A number of little things not happening all together means team doesn’t “play well” in comparison to opposition. I know it’s crazy, but at age 55 I want to get down on the practice field with these guys and show them a thing or two about how to move the ball and score goals. It’s fine with me if you want to laugh at me for such a sentiment, but I’m crazy for them to have some type of return to form. I once coached a team in the U-6 age that went 0-0-10 (we were an “expansion team” of kids that had never played soccer before and somehow ending up with only a few athletic kids and lots of stander-arounders.) Under these circumstances, I think we scored 2 goals all season. Under these conditions, I had us practice before the game by lining up the balls in front of the goal and booting them into the net so we would get the idea in our heads that scoring is possible.
Union currently plays on the road like a team that does not believe it can score a goal (and hasn’t). Changing this mentality is important. Time to improvise a little, shake things up. C.J. Needs a rest. Let’s start conditioning everyone and play a fitness game. Try the South Korea World Cup model — average skilled players form a reasonably competitive team by incredible conditioning, speed, agility on and off the ball. Don’t overthink the game too much, just play with obvious passion and good things will start to happen. No passion, no glory.

I’m not laughing out loud yet, but I’m already at the “Really?!” stage. Every time a player does something especially Unionesque, I mutter “Really?!” to myself. The kids won’t watch anymore, so I’m alone muttering to myself on the couch…
I’m going to try to laugh on Saturday. Might make it easier.

Rough watching. This team needs a lot of practice with the ball, moving off the ball. Definitely has mastered moving the ball sideways and backwards around the perimeter, back to goalkeeper until eventually losing it either in midfield or in long passes forward. To defend Union, teams simply pull back into their half, apply mild forward pressure with 1-2 players until rookie Union defense plays long ball forward which cannot be controlled. You don’t have to chase the ball as opponent because Union will eventually gift it to you — so conserve strength, apply a little pressure, win ball and then attack.

Union clearly lacks any comprehensive offensive coaching strategy. Team defense is OK, but team offense non-existent. Nobody really looks like they want to score. Funny, right after Columbus goal, Union shows a little spark, and you realize what a mental game soccer is. There is no reason this offensive spark cannot be part of game from kickoff. Players continue to not recognize good field position and potential scoring chances and when on the front foot (and being chased from behind by other team) continually waste the advantage by **slowing** the attack and letting the opponent’s defense get into position. There is no reason to do this. It’s better to lose the ball, under these conditions, moving it forward, than slow the attack and then surely lose the ball passing around the perimeter. Union plays like the purpose of game is to pass the ball sideways and backwards. The only reason to “get a little possession” is if the other teams’ attacking strength is so furious you never get the ball and so need to get breathing time, or if you are good at handling the ball and the other team is pressing, tiring them out having them chase the ball around.
Still no creative running off the ball, players not making diagonal runs. Team looks lethargic.
Winning teams have a top gear where entire team plays in a frenzy for 5-10 minute spurts now and again and clearly create pressure and obvious scoring chances. FC LA clearly overwhelmed Montreal ( a team currently playing in much better than Union ) yesterday in this manner. Jim should have his team watching film from some of these games to explain basics of attacking soccer.
Interestingly, in that match announcers discussed on situation where ball is crossed from left through the penalty area and finds unmarked right winger on a 45 degree slant 10 yards out from far post. As he goes to take a right-footed shot he is closed down by a central defender lunging to get back into position — who tips the shot out for a corner kick. The announcer says “with practice and more experience, he’ll learn (under conditions like this) that he can fake the shot and then pull the ball central for an easy left footed shot (and likely goal).” The Union is full of players playing like this, who haven’t mastered basics that many high-school players have. It’s hard to know what to do under these conditions with the team. I would say, just keep practicing, get a lot of coaching. There is no other way to improve other than to keep practicing, doing the right practicing. I sill maintain the Union can play better, but they are not doing the right offensive practicing. This team does not understand how offense works yet. Players have a mentality, when on offense of “please let me not be the one to lose the ball”. It’s hard when you don’t have speed and good possession on the ball. Need to somehow keep up team morale. Team looks disheartened. How can this be? You

I have reached the point where I will no longer waste time watching away matches. I’ll still get to the home matches that I’m in town for but will no longer be cheering or caring about the result. I’m going to call out any S.O.B member. I am not one but you all need to organize a walk out, sit in or just don’t show up at all for a match. I’ll start caring again when Jimmy boy has been sacked.

A couple of times I looked up and saw a team go on the attack and got kinda psyched. Then I remembered we were in white and they were in dark uniforms. I had momentarily been looking at the wrong team. Then I returned to my default Union setting–depression. Has that ever happened to you?

I previously thought that it was bad to watch the Union play, because of the absence of any recognizable offense. I now realize that it is worse to watch this team because THEY recognize that there is no recognizable offense, and so they spend the majority of the time going east-west. It is not only punchless, but it is boring. The formation leads to no available targets upfield, so the midfield attempts to go side to side in the hope that something will open for them. This leads to the only excitement of the game, which is the response to a turnover, and watching to see if the defense can handle it. What a mess.

The fact that a player as ineffective at the MLS level as Ray Gaddis is holds third place in games played in Union history is about as emblematic as it gets for this club. Typically, the longest tenured players have been with their teams as long as they have because of their important achievements at the club–not so for the Union.
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They stick with the same pieces for years because, for whatever reason, they refuse to do enough upgrading where it is clear to everyone upgrades are needed; thus, they reward lack-of-quality because there are no other options for them to turn to. Oh, and yes, this is not a problem unique to player personnel for this organization.

I am so disgusted with this team that not only will I not attend a match this year, I doubt I will even watch the games on TV.
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Honestly, Spugger’s column from yesterday was on point: being a fan of this team is bad for my health. I need to detach at this point. And I’m no fairweather fan; I’ve been a die-hard since attending Home Game #1 in person. I can’t even read the articles about Seba’s retirement because I get sick thinking about the pathetic wallowing of this franchise over the ensuing 8 years.
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All you who will still attend the matches… WHY??? What’s the point?? All you will get is heartbreak and infuriation. You wanna force Sugarman to make changes?? Hit him in the wallet. STAY HOME.

All you losers that blamed Sack and Hack never realized the the rot starts from the head, its the same ole sh-t different year, the owner , coach, academy director, all have to go, start fresh and move the team to Philly

Websters Dictionary, definition of ‘insanity’… Philadelphia Union coaches’ game plan… need I say anymore? Yes I do, how about “Hey Front Office, you have now lost a founding member, I WILL NOT RE-UP NEXT SEASON FOR YOUR TOTAL AND COMPLETE DISRESPECT TO ME… GO POUND SAND, EACH AND EVERY PART OF UPPER MANAGEMENT AND ESPECIALLY THE OWNERS WHO SIT AROUND LAUGHING AT FOOLS LIKE ME AS THEY COUNT THEIR INCREASING INVESTMENT MONIES…

I honestly believe that we are all part of some secret sociological study on how long fans will continue to follow a sports team that has no ambition to succeed at all and will not make any changes in how it operates.
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Any other club in the world would change tactics/players and/or fire the manager/sporting director/technical director after substandard performances like these, but nothing changes. It’s pretty incredible when you think about it.

So do the Union FO not see it? Or they are so cheap they can’t make the changes necessary? Or they just honestly don’t care? I mean, we really deserve an explanation as to why this team is consistently bad year in and year out. And yes, “just” missing the playoffs is bad.
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DC United is signing Wayne Rooney. Sure he’s 32 and not the Rooney of several years ago. But they spent $16 million to sign him. He’ll put asses in the seats… in their new stadium by the way. Another team that was in a bit of a mess, is now passing the Union they are standing still (because we are).
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Is there any other team in the league as inept as ours? I can’t think of another one. Sad. So freakin sad…